Children's Literature @ NYPL

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Stunning. That one word does justice to Nic Bishop's photographic talents.

Lizards existed 150 million years ago, along with dinosaurs. Some lizards lack legs; therefore they can be confused with snakes, but snakes do not have ear holes. The biggest lizard, the Komodo dragon, which is also the largest venomous animal in the world, can grow to be up to ten feet long. One of its favorite snacks is water buffalo.

Unfortunately, baby lizards do not get much of a childhood; they are on their own shortly after birth. Some lizards inhabit deserts, while others prefer forests. Luckily, due to the fact that they get their body heat from the sun, lizards do not need to eat much. Mammals, on the other hand, use food for that purpose. However, when lizard cravings occur, they are frequently for insects, which also provide a significant amount of some lizards' water needs. Iguanas and chuck wallas eat plants, but most lizards are carnivorous.

Chameleons do not have ear holes; therefore, they feel vibrations better than they can hear. Lizards like to camouflage into their environments. Some look like leaves, wood bark, moss or pebbly rocks. Other mechanisms that lizards use to fool predators ares having a thick tail that resembles a head (the "two-headed lizard") or having a bright blue tail that falls off when a predator grabs it, then the tail regenerates. Lizards are born from eggs, and some are even lucky enough to be incubated in their mother's bodies, where they hatch and then are born!

I first discovered Nic Bishop when I started working for NYPL as a children's librarian. His photographs are so vibrant; the striking colors and clean action suck you in and make you want more.

My favorite lizard that I have personally known has to be Capri. Luckily for my siblings and I, since we love animals, my mother was in the habit of babysitting the school's pets during school breaks. I was absolutely delighted when I came home from college to find an iguana in our midst. I liked Capri a lot, so the decision was made to keep her in my bedroom. One day, I noticed that she was scratching against the sides of her cage and appeared to be distressed. My parents agreed to let her loose, so periodically I would allow Capri out to explore my room. She was a terrific lizard, and she seemed to be much more content after we allowed her to go out on exploratory adventures.